Deep Red
by FireFlame102
Summary: Team seven finds a girl in the middle of a river, but will this girl have a bigger impact on their lives then even they can imagine? Warnings. SASUNARU, OOC, an OC
1. Chapter 1

**Hey everyone, how are you all? Ok so here is my new story. I hope you all like it.**

"talking"

_"thinking"_

**"Kyuubi"**

**Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto, as much as i wish i did, i don't.**

**Warnings: Yaoi (SASUNARU) and some bad language (Not a lot), Rated T to be safe.**

Team seven was walking back to Konoha after completing their mission, when Naruto saw something (or should I say someone?) laying on a large rock in the middle of the river.

"Hey what is that?" Naruto asked stopping and pointing to the person.

"What?" Sakura asked

"It looks like a girl." Sasuke said looking down at the unconscious girl in the middle of the river. The girl had long black hair that looked like it fell down to her waist.

"What?" Kakashi asked looking up from his book and down at the girl. The team made their way to the girl. Kakashi picked her up and carried her to the shore.

"What should we do with her?" Sakura asked looking at the girl. The girl was wearing a black shirt and black pants, strapped to her back were two swords.

"We should take her back to the village and get her to the hospital." Naruto suggested.

"We can't do that. Outsiders aren't allowed inside the village." Sakura said, as always she acted as though she knew everything and Naruto knew nothing. Sasuke however was looking the girl over in fascination.

"What if she isn't an outsider?" Sasuke asked pointing to the leaf headband that the girl held tightly in her hand.

"THEN WE SHOULD GET HER TO THE HOSPITAL!" Naruto yelled.

"No need to yell, dobe." Sasuke said annoyed. _"He looks so cute when he is all worked up like that. Damn what am I saying. I think Naruto is cute, do I?"_

--Several Hours Later--

"Wh-where am I?" The girl asked waking up and looking around her.

"You're in the hospital in Konoha." Kakashi said from where he sat next to the bed. The girl's eyes went wide when she heard his answer.

"K-Konoha? How?" She asked more to herself that to the group of people beside her.

"We found you unconscious in the river, we saw your headband and brought you here." Sakura explained.

"My headband?" She looked confused but then her eye's widened again as realization hit her, "Oh! You mean the headband I was holding?" She asked.

"Yes, it was a leaf headband; we couldn't leave a comrade to die." Sakura continued

"It wasn't my headband. It was my brother's; he used to be a Konoha ninja, many years ago. He gave me his headband the first time we met."

"The first time you met? Don't you mean the day you were born?" Sasuke asked, talking for the first time.

"No. When I was born, my parents wanted another son, they didn't want a daughter, what use would a girl be to them? So when I was born my father took me out of the village and left me in a small town on the border of the fire country. He assumed that I would never be found there. Several years ago though, my older brother found me, he cared for me, he loved me; almost as if he had known me from the day I was born. I Loved that, I had never been treated like that before. The people that raised me treated me as little more than a slave, I could never consider them family. My brother though, he was the only family I had. He would come and visit me whenever he could, and eventually he brought me back here with him, but father got mad, and brother and I were forced to leave, about a year ago we were separated, I've been looking for him since then."

"What is your name?" Kakashi asked.

"The people that raised me just called me kid, but my brother gave me the name Mai, because my fighting style is just a dance." She smiled at the memory. "But who are you all?"

"I'M UZUMAKI NARUTO!" Naruto yelled jumping out of his seat excited about finally getting an opportunity to speak.

"You're also annoying." Mai muttered under her breath.

"I'm Haruno Sakura. Sorry about Naruto, he's an idiot." She smiled

"Insensitive bitch," Mai muttered.

"Uchiha Sasuke." Sasuke didn't even look at her.

"Emo." Mai muttered looking at him closely.

_"Look at Sasuke acting all cool. He does look kinda hot though, I guess. Woah, hey, I'm not gay! Am I?" _ Naruto thought.

**"Looks like someone has a thing for the Uchiha brat."**

_"Don't call him a brat kyuu, and i don't have a thing for him!"_

"And I'm Hatake Kakashi." Kakashi said.

"As in _the_ Hatake Kakashi, as in the copy ninja." Mai asked in amazement.

"I'm the only Hatake Kakashi I know of." Kakashi answered.

"According to some of the criminals that pass through the town where I used to live, you have quite the bounty on your head. You should be cautious, there are many who want you dead."

"How did you end up in the river?" Kakashi asked changing the subject.

"I was training near the riverbank, my style of fighting requires very precise footing, as a result I tend experiment with my footing, I lost my balance and fell into the river, I'm guessing that I must have hit my head on a rock and then the current must have pushed me to where ever you found me."

"Your story doesn't add up." Sasuke said, surprising everyone.

"Why is that?" Mai asked

"We found you on top of a rock in the middle of the river, the current wasn't strong enough to have pushed you onto the rock. And you were holding your brother's headband."

"Then I suppose something else happened while I was unconscious. And I always hold my brother's headband when I am practicing my footing; it's like a good luck charm." Mai looked at the table next to her and noticed her swords and her brother's headband laying on it. She picked up her swords and strapped them onto her back before grabbing her brother's headband and standing up.

"What are you doing?" Sakura asked.

"Leaving. I appreciate your help, but I must be going. I have to look for my brother." The cheerful tone she had been using was gone and had been replaced with one that was very serious.

"Why don't you stay here? If your brother is looking for you then it would be easier for him to find you if you stayed in one place." Kakashi said. Mai paused as if thinking.

"Fine, I will stay here for one month, if my brother doesn't find me by then, I will leave."

"Very well, then Sakura, would you mind letting her stay with you?" Kakashi asked.

"No." Mai said sternly, "If I stay with anyone it will be Mr. Emo there," Mai nodded towards Sasuke a smirk on her face.

_"Did she just make fun of Sasuke? Nobody can make fun of MY Sasuke but me!" _Naruto screamed in his head.

**"Your Sasuke? I thought you didn't have a thing for him." **Kyuubi teased

_"I-I don't"_

"No." Sasuke answered. He did not want some brat staying in his house

"I'll make a deal then," Mai said still smirking, "I'll fight you, if I win, I stay with you, if I lose, I'll go stay with pinky there."

"Fine." Sasuke said his voice was confident but still cool.

"You shouldn't sound so confident." Mai said, but her voice revealed no emotion behind that simple comment, no confidence, nothing that suggested that she thought she would win or lose. It was just a statement, nothing more.

"And you shouldn't be fighting, you just woke up." Kakashi said.

"Perhaps, but tell me, if this was a real fight against a real enemy, would they care that I had just woken up after being unconscious for who knows how long?" Mai asked

"No" Kakashi answered.

"Exactly. Besides I feel fine. So if you will lead the way to a training field, Duck Butt and I can begin our fight."

"What did you just call me?" Sasuke asked his eye twitching

"Duck Butt, you hair looks like a duck's ass." Mai said calmly as she followed a laughing Naruto out of the room. However Sakura wasn't about to let the girl get away with insulting Sasuke.

"Don't you dare insult Sasuke again." Sakura threatened.

"And what are you going to do if I do insult him again? Hm?" Mai asked.

"Why you!" Sakura attempted to attack Mai, but her attack was easily dodged.

"You can't even touch me," Mai commented after dodging a few more attacks. It took a few minutes for Kakashi to calm Sakura down, after Sakura was calm the headed toward the training field.

**Alright, I hope you liked it. Please review. I already have the next chapter done, but i want at least three reviews before i post it. That isn't too much to ask is it? And for those of you who have read my other story, don't worry, I'm still going to write the sequel, i'm just waiting for some insperation (is that how you spell it?).**


	2. Chapter 2

**Alright, second chapter. I want to thank ****Kakashi forever**, bellandedwardLS, and OHSHC-Fan101. It really is thanks to their reviews that this chapter was put up this early. I really apperciate it you guys.

Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto. Wish I did, but I don't.

Warnings: Yaoi, OOCness, and an oc

Once they reached the training field Sasuke took up a fighting stance. "Relax Uchiha, we aren't starting yet." Mai said calmly sitting on the ground and pulling a scroll out of her pocket, the scroll was a little wet but still useable. Mai made a hand sign and placed her hand on the scroll, a pair of wooden swords appeared and Mai rolled up the scroll putting it back in her pocket.

"Why did you summon those?" Sakura asked

"Do you want me to cut duck butt into tiny pieces? I would rather not dirty my blades with weak blood; these wooden blades will do nothing but hand out a few good bruises."

"QUIT INSULTING SASUKE-KUN!" Sakura yelled, she looked about ready to kill Mai, and Sasuke was glaring at Mai with his famous 'Uchiha death glare'. He was obviously aware of the fact that Mai had just insulted him several times in only two sentences. Naruto was laughing uncontrollably at the scene in front of him.

"Well, shall we begin?" Mai asked turning toward Sasuke ignoring Sakura completely. Sasuke took up a fighting stance and Mai simply stood there, the wooden swords in her hands but they were down at her side, almost as if she wasn't going to fight at all.

"Begin!" Kakashi said from where he stood off to the side. Sasuke immediately charged at Mai, a kunai in his hand, he tried to cut her using the knife in his hand but Mai easily sidestepped the attack and hit Sasuke in the side with one of her swords, hard. Before Sasuke could move Mai was behind him and had hit him behind the knee, in seconds she had him on the ground with the tip of her sword pointed at the back of his neck. "STOP!" Kakashi shouted, "That's enough. It's obvious that Mai has won." Mai pulled the scroll back out of her pocket and put away her wooden swords.

_"Kyuubi did you just see that, she just beat Sasuke. I hope he isn't hurt." Naruto thought_

**"I told you."**

_"Told me what?"_

**"You have a thing for the uchiha."**

_"Shut up."_

"I told you, you shouldn't be so confident." Mai said simply. "I have trained with my brother for two years now, but I started fighting long before that."

"How old are you?" Sasuke asked standing up.

"I'm eight almost nine, according to my brother , although I don't really like birthdays, so I don't celebrate. So where do you live?" Mai asked changing the subject.

"This way." Sasuke grumbled leading the young girl away. But not before he heard Naruto yell "Sasuke you just got your ass kicked by a little kid," and start laughing. Sakura hit Naruto for making fun of Sasuke, then she too left.

"Ignore him, if I had fought him it would have turned out the same way." Mai told Sasuke, "I have never lost to anyone other than my older brother."

"What is your brother's name?"

"Sorry, but I'm afraid I can't tell you that."

"Why not?"

"He asked me not to speak his name, especially not to ninja from Konoha, something about his name causing panic." Mai answered.

"Why would his name cause panic?"

"People believe that he killed many people, but that isn't true, he never hurt anyone." The rest of the journey to Sasuke's house was in silence because Mai had suddenly become quite sad. They reached Sasuke's house and Mai stared in awe. "Your house is huge!" Mai exclaimed.

"My family was quite wealthy." Sasuke answered sadly

"Don't be so upset, cheer up a little, you're so emo."

"I am not emo." Sasuke said leading the way into his house. Sasuke lead the way down a hall and stopped in front of a door. "You can stay here, it used to be my older brother's room, but you can stay in it for now." Sasuke opened the door and Mai stepped inside before turning around.

"What happened to your brother?" Mai asked.

"He killed my entire family." Sasuke said before walking away.

"No he didn't," Mai whispered sadly turning back into the room. She noticed a chair by the window and went and sat in the chair looking out at the village. A few minutes later Sasuke walked into the room and saw her sitting looking out at the village. Mai turned and saw him there.

"Hungry?" Sasuke asked

"A little," Mai answered politely before turning back to the window. Just as Sasuke was about to leave he heard Mai mutter something he couldn't hear.

"What?" He asked turning back towards her.

"I said, you remind me of my brother." Mai said softly not turning away from the window.

"Is that a good thing or a bad thing?" Sasuke asked confused.

"neither, it's just a fact, take it however you want."

"umm, ok. Dinner will be ready in a half hour."

"Alright." Sasuke left after hearing her answer. Mai reached into her pocket and pulled out a small wallet, opening the wallet she sighed.

"_Only enough for two new outfits, but I need new clothes. I ruined my last outfit last week, I can't run around in the same outfit for a month."_ Mai thought, _"I suppose I'll have to spend the last of my money. I'll ask Sasuke to take me shopping later." _ A half hour later Sasuke walked into the room and informed Mai that dinner was ready; Mai followed him into the kitchen and sat across from him at the table.

"This is really good." Mai said after a few minute.

"Thanks, I'm not the best cook, but it's edible." The conversation was awkward so Mai stopped talking until she had finished and Sasuke had taken her plate. She had offered to do the dishes for him but he had refused.

"Sasuke-san, would you please take me shopping?"

"Why?" Sasuke asked turning to look at the girl.

"I need to buy a few things, I have my own money, but I don't know my way around town. This is only my second time in Konoha after all."

"Fine, let me finish the dishes." Sasuke finished the dishes and was leading the way toward the town.

"Do your teammates always act the way they did today?" Mai asked attempting to talk to the older boy.

"Yes, Sakura is always pretty annoying and Naruto…well he's always a hyper idiot."

"But he isn't as stupid as he acts," Mai said simply.

"What do you mean?"

"You haven't noticed? He only acts stupid, his whole personality seems forced. It's almost as if he is trying to completely destroy who he really is." Mai explained.

"Then what is his personality really like?" Sasuke asked.

"I don't know, he only allows people to see the idiot they think he is, he won't show anyone the person he is on the inside." Mai finished and was quiet for a few minutes.

"You like Naruto-kun don't you."

"He's my best friend." Sasuke answered

"No. I mean you _like_ him."

"What would make you think that?"

"The way you look at him, and then there is the fact that you actually had to think before you called him an idiot. It's almost like you didn't want to call him an idiot but you chose to in the end."

"I don't like him like that."

"Denial." Mai taunted

"I am not in denial because there is nothing to deny. I'm telling the truth when i say that i don't feel that way about him." Sasuke's voice sounded more like he was trying to convince himself not Mai, but Mai didn't answer and soon they reached the town.

"Where do you have to go first?" Sasuke asked suddenly annoyed that he had been dragged into some little kid's shopping trip.

"I need to go to a clothing store." Sasuke reluctantly led her to the closest clothing store. When they walked into the store Sasuke immediately regretted it.

"SASUKE-KUN!" Sakura shouted running up to the two of them and attaching herself to Sasuke's arm. "What are you doing here Sasuke-kun?" Sakura asked not letting go of Sasuke's arm.

"I have to buy some new clothes," Mai said, "but I don't have a clue about how to get around town so emo butt had to come with me." Mai smiled before walking toward the clothes that were her size. Sasuke managed to shake Sakura off of him and walk over to where Mai was. Mai was looking through the racks of clothes but she wasn't spending a lot of time looking. Sakura walked up to her and watched as she ignored some of what Sakura thought were the cutest clothes.

"Mai-chan, you're ignoring some of the cutest stuff. That pink dress would look adorable on you."

"Ugly." Mai muttered before pulling two black shirts off of the rack, she turned and walked to where the pants were, once again Sakura tried pointing things out to Mai but she was ignored. Mai finally picked out a pair of black pants and a pair of black shorts. She walked up to the register and put the clothes on the counter. Sasuke walked up behind her and waited for her to pay. When the cashier told Mai how much she owed Mai pulled out her wallet and frowned when she realized she didn't have enough.

"I'll put back one of the shirts," Mai said, realizing that there was no way around it.

"Here." Sasuke said handing Mai enough money to cover the second shirt.

"No." Mai said refusing to take the money, "I appreciate you trying to help but, I don't like to take other people's money." Sasuke watched as the cashier put away the other shirt and Mai paid for the three items of clothing. The two left the shop with Sakura close behind them. After finally getting Sakura to leave Sasuke and Mai went back to Sasuke's house.

**There it is, the second chapter. Thank you for reading and please review. I already have the third chapter done but i need four more reviews before i put it up.**


	3. Chapter 3

**Ok third chapter is up. Thank you to all my reviewers.**

**Disclaimer: No i don't own Naruto. :(**

--About a week and a half after Mai came to live with Sasuke--

Sasuke was running from hotel to hotel, Mai was close behind him.

"Sasuke-san, where are we going," Mai was getting irritated Sasuke had told her to wait outside and he had gone to visit Kakashi, but only minutes later he had come running out and now he wouldn't tell her where he was going or what he was looking for. Finally Sasuke stopped and Mai caught up, Sasuke had been talking to the man who owned the hotel that he had stopped at, but it was only seconds later that Sasuke ran into the hotel and through the halls Sasuke stopped as soon as he turned the corner. Mai was about to yell at him for not waiting for her when she heard a voice.

"It's been awhile, Sasuke." Mai walked cautiously to the corner. She thought she knew that voice

"Stay there," Sasuke told her but she didn't listen instead she also walked to the corner until she had a good look at the man who had spoken. Naruto was standing in the middle of the hall and past him were two men in black cloaks that had red clouds on them. Mai smiled and her eyes lit up as she recognized the two men. She ran the rest of the way around the corner and towards the men before Sasuke could stop her.

"ITACHI!" Mai yelled and she threw her arms around her big brother. Itachi looked down at the young girl in surprise.

"Mai-chan, what are you doing in Konoha? I thought I told you to stay as far away from here as possible." Itachi's voice was stern but it didn't seem to bother Mai."

"It's not my fault; I fell into a river and blacked out next thing I know I'm here in Konoha, with a bunch of strangers around me. I almost left as soon as I could but they convinced me to stay, I wasn't going to stay long I promise."

"I see you have met Sasuke." Itachi said, he was watching Sasuke closely.

"Yeah, he was one of the strangers in the room when I woke up. I recognized him immediately based on your description, they almost made me stay with this one pink haired bitch but I made a deal that if I beat Sasuke I could stay with him. Your old room is really nice, it looks exactly like it did last time I was there."

"Watch your language, a little girl shouldn't use such language."

"Sorry."

"You didn't say anything that could get you into trouble did you?" Itachi asked as he watched Sasuke finally getting over the shock of him being there.

"No, I had a good cover story." Mai answered.

"It was based on the truth wasn't it?"

"Yes."

"I see."

"What is going on!" Sasuke nearly shouted

"I never told you what my older brother's name was." Mai said simply, before looking up at Itachi for permission, Itachi just nodded. "My brother's name was Uchiha Itachi. My father was Uchiha Fugaku, and my mother was Uchiha Mikoto. My story wasn't all lies either. I was abandoned in a village on the fire county's border, and I was found by my oldest brother while he was away on a mission. As it so happened, Itachi remembered his mother being pregnant but there was no child to show for it. One day on his way home from a mission he came across a young girl, me. I was running away. He noticed several people yelling for me to stop, so he decided to help them, he tried to stop me, but when he did I got mad and tried to fight back, that's when he noticed that I had sharingan. He took me back to my village but he stayed and talked to me, he learned all kinds of things about me and even gave me a name. The fact that I was four years old perfectly lined up with the time that his mother should have had her baby. A few months later he brought me back to Konoha, he questioned his mother and father and learned the truth, I was yours and Itachi's little sister. He wanted to kill me." Mai finished sadly not specifying who 'he' was.

"Mai that's enough," Itachi stopped her story from continuing.

"I know." Mai turned and hugged Itachi again as tears rolled down her face. Sasuke's eyes were wide as the story processed.

"What! So you're-" Sasuke began

"Yes she is our little sister," Itachi answered before leading Mai away. "We will be back for you later Naruto-kun" Kisame followed Itachi and the three left. They had just exited the village when Mai realized something.

"Wait Itachi!" Mai said suddenly

"What?" Itachi asked looking down at his little sister.

"All my stuff is back at Sasuke's house." Mai said

"You want to go get it don't you?" Itachi asked sighing.

"Yes please."

"Kisame and I will wait for you a quarter mile south of the village gates."

"Ok. I'll meet you there soon." Mai called back as she ran back toward the village. She made it back to Sasuke's house without any problems. She immediately noticed that Sasuke was already home. _"Shit. Looks like I'll have to be sneaky."_ Mai thought. She walked around to the back of the house and opened the window to the room that she had been using. She slipped in and quickly grabbed her things. Just as she was about to climb out the window, the door opened to reveal Sasuke. Mai looked at him and smirked. "What are you going to do Sasuke? Are you going to fight me and loose again or are you going to be good and let me leave?" Mai asked the smirk still on her face.

"You knew I was Itachi's little brother all along but you didn't say anything. Why?"

"I told you, brother didn't want me to say anything."

"Why would you go with him, he killed everyone, the entire Uchiha clan."

"But Itachi didn't kill them. He only took the blame. Funny what he would do just to protect someone else. He has to spend his life as a criminal just to protect the real criminal. He's going to be mad at me for saying so much, but I suppose it is time to carry out my own plans and stop wasting my time with his. If you want to know who really killed the Uchiha clan, then gain the strength to force me or Itachi to tell you. You have two years." Mai smirked before climbing out the window, leaving a shocked Sasuke behind. She ran toward the place where she was supposed to meet Itachi and Kisame. Making sure she had no followers she approached the place where Itachi and Kisame were waiting, she put a big smile on her face and walked up to Itachi hugging him.

"You took longer than I expected," Itachi said, his voice didn't show that he really cared.

"I'm sorry, Sasuke was there, I had to be cautious," Mai smiled up at him.

"Did he see you?"

"No." Mai lied.

"Good, then let's go." Itachi said standing up. After traveling for several hours they stopped to rest. Itachi was cooking dinner and Kisame was setting up the tent. Silently, Mai made a clone of herself; she and her clone attacked the two ninja in front of her. The attack took both of the Akatsuki members by surprise and both were tied to a tree before they realized what had happened.

"Mai what do you think you are doing?" Itachi asked sternly.

"I'm sorry Itachi, but orders are orders." Mai said coldly, Itachi had never heard her voice so cold. "The village I lived in as a child has been controlled by Orochimaru-sama since long before I was born, you always thought that your precious little sister was completely loyal to you didn't you? Guess what I wasn't. You never tried to explain how when I was only four years old I was able to use the mangekyo sharingan or how I was strong enough to beat even you, the famous Uchiha Itachi. Funny how ignorance comes back to bite you in the butt isn't it?" Mai asked, her voice was still as cold as it had been before.

"So what do you plan to do with us?" Kisame asked.

"Oh, nothing right now. I will use this chance to leave and go back to Orochimaru-sama, just as he ordered. Although, Itachi, you should know, before I leave, that I lied. I did talk to Sasuke when I went back for my things, and he knows that you didn't kill the Uchiha clan, of course that still leaves the question of who did unanswered." Mai said as she walked away laughing.

**Alright that's another chapter done. Please review, tell me the good and the bad, i really want constructive criticism if you have it. If you have any ideas for the story then let me know and i will consider them. Thanks for reading!**


	4. Chapter 4

**Alright here is chapter 4 hope you like it!**

--Later with Orochimaru--

"Orochimaru-sama, phase one is completed." Mai bowed to her master.

"Very good, Akane-chan, I was beginning to think that you had failed me." Orochimaru said using the name that he had given the young girl the first time he had met her.

"I would never let you down master; Uchiha Sasuke is more than likely on his way here as we speak."

"Good, change into some clean clothing and cut your hair. I don't want Sasuke to recognize you. Then once you are done, I want you to go and retrieve my new experiment."

"I will make sure he gets here in one piece, Orochimaru-sama." Akane (yes Mai will be called Akane from now on) bowed and left the room. She went into the room she had been given many years ago, everything was covered in dust. Akane sighed looking in the mirror just as Kabuto walked in.

"Akane-chan, I have brought you some clean clothing, I hope it fits you." Kabuto said putting the clothes down on the bed as he watched the young girl pull out one of her swords and chop off her long black hair. Her hair that had fallen down to her waist barely touched her shoulder now. Then pulling out a kunai she trimmed her hair in some places to make it look nice.

"How does it look?" Akane asked.

"Just like when you were younger." Kabuto answered truthfully. Akane frowned, before she sighed again, shaking her head.

"Thank you Kabuto-sensei."

"Anything for you, Akane-chan." Kabuto answered leaving the room. Akane put on the long black pants and the flaming red shirt with the sound village symbol on the back that Kabuto had given her. She then walked over to the wall farthest from the door and hung both of her swords on the wall before pulling down another sword. This time it was only one sword instead of two and this sword was much longer than the other two had been. Akane walked out of the room grabbing the sound headband that hung by the door on her way out and putting it on. Akane ran as fast as she could and soon reached the valley of the end where she saw Sasuke leaning over an unconscious Naruto. Akane hid in some bushes and waited until Sasuke was out of sight before she made her way down into the valley. How she managed to pick Naruto up would later be a mystery to all, but for now she picked him up and slowly carried him back to Orochimaru's lair. Once she reached the lair she tied Naruto to a tree outside the lair and went inside.

"Orochimaru-sama." Akane said ignoring the fact that Sasuke was there. She bowed to Orochimaru.

"Akane-chan, did you retrieve him like I asked?" Orochimaru asked turning his gaze away from Sasuke and onto his young servant.

"I did, Orochimaru-sama, he is tied to a tree outside. What do you wish for me to do with him? He is unconscious right now, but he should wake up soon."

"Kabuto, go bring him in. Akane, will you please show Sasuke his room? It is the one between yours and Kabuto's. And when you are done with that meet me in lab 3B."

"As you wish, Orochimaru-sama." Akane bowed again before motioning for Sasuke to follow her. As they walked Sasuke couldn't help but think there was something familiar about the girl that walked in front of him.

"Do I know you?" Sasuke asked

"No, I am a servant of Orochimaru; I have been my whole life" Akane replied

"Your name is Akane?"

"Yes. Orochimaru gave me the name Akane, meaning deep red. He gave me this name when I was three and he watched as I killed five fully grown men without any mercy or regret. I was covered in their blood by the time I was finished. I am proud of my name, but even more, I am proud to serve Orochimaru-sama. This is your room." Akane said opening the door to Sasuke's room. "My room is the one to your right, Kabuto's is to your left. Although, you aren't likely to find either of us in our rooms. If you need something let one of the servant's know, they walk through here every once in a while."

"Thanks." Sasuke said walking into the room. Akane nodded before turning around and leaving heading off to meet Orochimaru. Akane reached lab 3B quickly and without incident.

"Akane-chan, just in time,"

"Orochimaru-sama, what do you plan on doing with him?" Akane asked looking at the unconscious blonde-haired blue-eyed boy.

"He will receive the curse seal of hell." Orochimaru said smirking. Akane instantly knew that the boy would be miserable for the rest of his life, not because the curse seal it self was extremely horrible, but because once the seal was placed on the boy he would forever be bound to Orochimaru's will. The seal would grant the boy immense power, but it would also force the boy to carry out every single order Orochimaru gave him. Akane looked at the boy already pitying the poor boy, but Orochimaru took that look as a look of sadness.

"No need to worry Akane-chan, you will still be useful to me. Don't think that you have lost your usefulness."

"Thank you master." Akane said going along with Orochimaru's thoughts. Orochimaru made several hand signs before he leaned down and bit the boy's neck right where it met with his shoulder. The boy woke up screaming in pain as the seal took its effects.

"Stop screaming, Naruto-kun." Orochimaru said and the boy's screams stopped immediately but his face continued to show the pain he was in. "Akane, Take Naruto to hi room once the pain has died down, he is in the empty room next to yours. Naruto, once Akane takes you to your room you are not to leave until someone comes to get you, do you understand?" Orochimaru asked, but the question sounded more like an order. Naruto could only nod his head. "Good." Orochimaru left.

It seemed like hours before the pain finally died away and Naruto's face relaxed.

"Feeling ok?" Akane asked looking up from the book she had been reading.

"I'm fine." Naruto mumbled.

"I tried telling Sasuke you weren't as stupid as you looked. It seems you have realized that it would be useless to try and run."

"Mai?" Naruto asked looking closely at the girl in front of him.

"Yes I was known as Mai, to Itachi, but Itachi was only one of several pawns in Orochimaru's plans, just as you are, just as I am. Orochimaru named me Akane when I was a child. That is the name you will call me, and if Sasuke finds out I am Mai, you will pay for it. Now follow me." Akane lead Naruto out of the room.

"Why did Orochimaru name you Akane?"

"Akane means deep red; he named me after he saw my sharingan eyes. This is your room."

"Sasuke is already here?" Naruto asked.

"yeah, he's been here for a few hours."

"I failed. I couldn't save him." Naruto said looking down sadly

"You love him don't you?"

"Very much, but I don't think he could ever feel the same way about me."

**"Ha, you finally admitted it!"**

_"Yes, i did, now please stop bragging."_

**"Kit don't be so depressed, it doesn't suit you."**

"You never know, he might just love you and not know it yet or he could still be in denial." Akane said before leaving.

**Alright another chapter done. Although i'm really disappointed, i didn't get any reviews for the last chapter. :( So this chapter I hope that all of you review like i said before tell me the good and the bad, i welcome constructive critism and you can even flame me if you want. I love hearing your opinions, they let me know what you do and don't like that way i can apply what you do like in the future and i can stop doing things that you don't like. So let me know what you think.**


	5. Chapter 5

**I'M SO SORRY!! I ment to put this up last week but I compleately forgot. Anyway this takes place after the timeskip so I hope you enjoy.**

Two years had passed since Sasuke had joined Orochimaru and Naruto had been forced to join him. Naruto was often sent out on missions and Sasuke didn't even know he was there. Akane had been given the task of training Sasuke, under close surveillance by Orochimaru.

"Akane-chan, what are you doing? You're letting him beat you." Orochimaru practically yelled watching as Sasuke gained the upper hand in the fight.

"I'm sorry Orochimaru-sama, but there isn't a lot I can do when he has the advantage of sharingan." Akane said as she dodged a kick that had been aimed for her head only to jump away when Sasuke tried to take advantage of her movements.

"Stop." Orochimaru ordered. Akane looked at him with questioning eyes. "I think it is time that we let Sasuke train with Blondie, he has become quite strong over the years, since you can't use your full strength." Orochimaru smirked, he had understood Akane's hiden message about not being allowed to use her own sharingan.

"If that is what you wish then I will go get him, Orochimaru-sama." Akane answered.

"Yes, go get him, Sasuke and I will wait here." Akane bowed and left without another word. Akane returned several minutes later with Naruto right behind her. The two of them bowed to Orochimaru. Sasuke stared in shock (although he didn't let his face show it) at the blonde boy, although he did noticed the lack of orange in the boy's wardrobe.

"What are your orders Orochimaru-sama?" Naruto asked not taking any notice of Sasuke, his voice held no emotion, no happiness, no sadness, nothing. Sasuke had to wonder what had happened to his best friend.

"You are going to train with Sasuke." Orochimaru said.

"As you wish." Naruto answered still nothing in his voice.

"Aren't you happy Naruto-kun? You get to train with an old friend instead of Akane-chan."

"I am happy, unless you do no wish me to be." Naruto answered no indication that he was happy at all. Even Akane had to feel bad for him. Orochimaru gave no answer only smirking at Naruto's obedience. Several hours later Naruto, Sasuke and Akane were walking down the halls toward their rooms.

"Naruto, what happened to you?" Sasuke asked worried about his best friend.

"That is classified information, I cannot tell you," Naruto said his voice was still empty and no emotion showed on his face. Naruto stopped and entered his room. Akane and Sasuke both went to their rooms as well. After about an hour of nonstop pacing Sasuke decided to ask Akane about Naruto. He walked next door to Akane's room and knocked. After a minute the door opened.

"I need to talk to you." Sasuke said seriously.

"Come in." Akane said letting him in she motioned for him to take a seat on the bed while she pulled her desk chair closer to the bed.

"What happened to Naruto?" Sasuke asked not beating around the bush. Akane stood up and began to pace wondering how best to begin.

"When you first came here, I told you I was proud to serve Orochimaru," Akane began, "but every time I see Naruto I regret ever meeting Orochimaru. I especially regret being involved in making Naruto what he is now. Before you arrived here I was ordered to go and retrieve Naruto no matter the cost. I would have fought him if I had to, but I didn't. I arrived at the valley of the end just in time to see you leaving him unconscious. I waited until you left and then brought him back here, after showing you to your room; I met Orochimaru and Kabuto in lab 3B. There in the lab Orochimaru placed the curse seal of hell on poor Naruto-kun. As its name suggests, the seal makes the victim's life a living hell. The seal grants Naruto immense power, but at the same time Naruto must follow every order Orochimaru gives him. As time passed and Naruto unwillingly obeyed more and more of Orochimaru's orders, he began to lose his emotions. Orochimaru would say things like don't act so happy, or stop complaining. Naruto was forced to obey, and soon his emotions became a thing of the past. He still feels emotion, he just can't show it." Akane finished refusing to look at the Uchiha.

"How can I save him?" Sasuke asked.

"What?"

"How can I return him to his normal, cheerful self?"

"Kill Orochimaru." Akane answered. Sasuke hesitated, he still needed power, and he wasn't strong enough yet. Akane saw the hesitation on his face. "I wish I could kill him myself, but last year Orochimaru noticed that I was becoming less obedient. Last year the curse seal of hell was placed on me as well. I cannot kill Orochimaru. You don't want to kill him because you still need more power. I will make you a deal. Kill Orochimaru, and I will tell you who killed the Uchiha clan."Akane said sadly.

"You know who killed my clan?" Sasuke asked surprised.

"Yes," Akane said as Sasuke left the room, intending to kill Orochimaru. Akane left the room only moments later and walked next door to Naruto's room. Naruto looked up at her as she entered the room. Akane smiled at him. "We are going to be free Naruto." She whispered sitting next to him on his bed.

Naruto looked at her. "How?"

"Sasuke is going to kill Orochimaru, and set us free."

"Why?"

"I made a deal, just like back in Konoha. Pack your stuff." She said leaving the room and going to pack her own things. She didn't have much; a few changes of clothes and her three swords was all she had. She waited and suddenly felt pain coming from her curse mark. She put her hand over the curse mark and tried to hold in her screams of pain as the curse mark disappeared. Minutes later Sasuke walked in to see Akane screaming. He tried to help but Akane pushed him away. Soon the pain died away and Akane stood up shaking. She picked up her stuff and walked next door to Naruto's room again, this time Sasuke right behind her. She knocked before entering. The two saw Naruto also standing up. Naruto looked up at Sasuke and smiled.

"Th-ank you." He said looking at Sasuke, his voice sounded like it hadn't been used in a long time.

"Come on. We have to get out of here. The others won't be happy when they find out their master is dead." Akane led the way out of the base and into the forest. After hours of traveling, they stopped. Sasuke made a fire and they all sat around it. Sasuke looked at Akane, waiting for her to keep her end of their deal.

**I know I'm so evil. Not updating in forever then leaving you all with a cliffhanger. I'm so sorry! I started college yesterday so I might be busy all week, but i will try to have the next chapter up by this weekend.**


	6. Chapter 6

**me: I Hope you guys are happy. I'm skipping my precalculus homework to write this. **

**Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto, If i did some one else would have to draw the manga for me because otherwise the whole series would consist of stick figures throwing things that slightly resemble kunai. So Thank god that i don't own the series. If you believe in god other wise you can thank Masashi Kishimoto for creating the wonderful series we all know, love, and tend to recreate. (Probably against his will)**

RECAP

_Akane led the way out of the base and into the forest. After hours of traveling, they stopped. Sasuke made a fire and they all sat around it. Sasuke looked at Akane, waiting for her to keep her end of their deal._

ON TO THE STORY!!

"I never liked being called Akane." She began, "It was always a reminder of my past, and of the horrible things I have done. I liked the first name I was given, the name I was given by someone who actually cared about me." Akane paused thinking. "We met, before you came to Orochimaru, Sasuke. You knew me by a different name. I was the reason you came to Orochimaru. I gave you the last little push that you needed to make up your mind. You knew me by the name that I like best, Mai." Akane looked away from Sasuke. Sasuke stared in surprise. "Yes, I am your little sister. I was a servant of Orochimaru long before I met Itachi, I was a loyal servant. When I met Itachi, Orochimaru wanted me to get close to Itachi, he wanted me to learn as much about him as possible. I posed as a sweet little sister; Itachi never guessed that I was following Orochimaru's orders. One night Itachi brought me with him when he returned to the village. He questioned your father and mother. Your father got mad, he tried to kill me, I didn't mean to kill them; I didn't want to kill any of them." Akane stopped to breathe feeling the tears falling down her cheeks, "I had been working for Orochimaru for so long; it had become instinct to react to an attack. Itachi finally stopped me, but not before you almost found us. When Itachi told me to pin everything on him, I almost couldn't, but the look he gave me; I couldn't refuse. I used my mangekyo sharingan on you and pinned everything on Itachi. Itachi took me and ran from the village. Itachi can't use the mangekyo; that is proof enough that he didn't do it. After that I had orders to stay with Itachi until I was called. I was called about a year before I met you in Konoha. I traveled a lot after that, and soon received orders to go to Konoha and make sure that you went to Orochimaru. Unfortunately Itachi showed up, and although I successfully got you to go to Orochimaru, Itachi found out that I was working for Orochimaru in the process."

"So you killed my clan." Sasuke asked looking at the now sobbing girl.

"I-if y-you want t-to k-ki-kill me th-than g-go ahead." Akane choked out trying to stop crying, when she had finally stopped she continued. "I have done so many bad things in the past six years. I really don't deserve to live anymore." She looked over at Sasuke and was surprised to see him thinking.

"Why did Orochimaru name you Akane?" Sasuke finally asked realizing that the story had begun with her name but not ended with the real meaning behind her name.

"Akane means deep red, when Orochimaru learned that I had killed the Uchiha clan he named me Akane, because he could only imagine all the blood that must have been everywhere." Everything was silent for a few minutes until Akane asked, "Are you going to kill me?" She didn't look at Sasuke.

Sasuke sighed, "No."

"What?!" Akane looked at him in surprise.

"You said you didn't mean to, besides, you were only protecting yourself, and what kind of big brother would kill his younger sister?" Akane looked down sadly.

"So what happens now?" Naruto asked breaking the awkward silence.

"We have a few options." Sasuke began, "We can either go back to Konoha, although I doubt they will welcome me back there. The Akatsuki are after you, so we could hunt them down and destroy them, or we could simply disappear." Sasuke listed off options even though he was sure Naruto would want to go back home to Konoha.

"I will not go back to Konoha." Naruto replied sadly remembering his past in the village.

"Why not?" Sasuke asked surprised.

"If there is one thing Orochimaru gave me it was freedom, even if he thought I was only a servant or a slave, I only saw that I was free of the village, free from the pain and suffering that living in that village brought. I won't go back to that pain." Naruto said determined. Sasuke looked at his friend and wished that he could help.

"I need to apologize to Itachi, I betrayed him, and I shouldn't have. I was too caught up in being the best servant I could to Orochimaru that I never realized the great life Itachi gave me. I need to apologize to him." Mai said.

"That still leaves us with two options." Sasuke thought aloud.

"I think… we should just disappear for a little while at least. I'm tired of fighting." Naruto said.

**Ok, I'm not really skipping my homework, I'm just putting it off until tomorrow since it isn't due until Friday. Hope you all enjoyed. Please Review.**


	7. Chapter 7

**Sorry this took so long guys. College has made me so busy. Anyway I hope you like this chapter.**

**Disclaimer: Nope, i don't own Naruto.**

After several days of traveling the trio discovered a small broken down shack that appeared to be abandoned. After investigating (looking in a window)and confirming that there were no signs of life in the shack the three ninja entered.

"After some cleaning this place will make a nice home." Mai commented.

"Yeah, there's a town about a mile south of here where we can get groceries if necessary." Sasuke answered.

"It's bigger than it looked from the outside." Naruto said looking around, "But we got lucky, whoever lived here before left all the furniture." Sasuke noticed that Naruto was still not the person he remembered but that he showed some emotion and that, in Sasuke's opinion, was a start. Sasuke walked down the small hallway that was off to one side of the living room. After looking in the rooms down the hall he returned.

"Only two bedrooms." He said.

"I'll take the couch. When you're trying to disappear like us you can't be picky." Mai said before disappearing through a door that Sasuke assumed was the kitchen.

"You ok?" Sasuke asked walking up and placing a hand on Naruto's shoulder. Naruto looked at him.

"I'm tired. Not tired as in sleepy just tired, exhausted. I was pushed beyond human limits and not I'm paying for it. I just want to rest, take a break." Naruto explained, trying to relay how he was feeling but not quite knowing how to explain it.

"I think I understand," Sasuke said slightly smiling **(only slightly, like barely a smile)** before leaving to follow Mai.

"The kitchen will need to be cleaned and sanitized before it is usable." Sasuke said after looking around the room.

"Yeah, and it's old fashion. No electricity, the stove is a wood burning stove. But that is actually better, it means no electricity bills."

"What about water?" Naruto asked walking in behind Sasuke.

"There is a well out back or I think I can see a small river through the forest. Although, it might be in our best interest to build an outhouse." Mai said noticing there wasn't a bathroom anywhere.

"It looks like we're going really old fashion." Naruto smiled and laughed a little before leaving the room.

Sasuke smiled slightly before asking, "What do we have available for food around here?"

"While looking out the window I noticed a few apple trees at the back of the house as well as what appears to have once been a vegetable garden. From what I can tell, it is over grown with weeds now but there maybe some thing edible in it."

"That's good, we should keep the garden full of vegetables at all times, I don't want to go into town unless we absolutely have to, besides we can always sell the vegetables. As for meat, we can always hunt or fish." Sasuke explained his thoughts.

"That sounds good,"

"You any good at gardening?" Sasuke asked after a moment of silence.

"Decent, I can keep things alive at the very best. I think Naruto has better luck with plants."

"Naruto gardens?"

"I don't know but he used to keep plants in his room until Orochimaru found out and made him get rid of them."

"I didn't know that." Sasuke said looking away slightly upset that he didn't know something like that about his blonde friend.

"You still love him don't you?" Mai asked

"How do you know these things?" Sasuke asked confused, "It's like you can read minds or something."

"I'm just extra observant," Mai replied, "You should tell him."

"I doubt he feels the same way." Sasuke said looking down suddenly finding his toes very interesting.

"You would be surprised by what goes through his head sometimes, who knows maybe he feels the same but is afraid of being rejected, or hurt again." Mai said before going out the back door leaving Sasuke with his thoughts.

_There's no possible way that he could feel the same way I do, is there? But what if he does? Am I willing to risk my friendship with him to possibly have a relationship with him? What if he doesn't feel the same? Then our friendship could be ruined if I confess to him._ Sasuke thought as he sat at the table that was in the middle of the kitchen letting his thoughts take over. After twenty minutes and much debate Sasuke left the kitchen to go find Naruto. Not seeing the blonde in the living room Sasuke went down the hall to check the bedrooms. Sasuke opened the door to the first bedroom but didn't see Naruto. Turning around and facing the other door Sasuke took a deep breath before he took a step toward the door. He was about to do the one thing an Uchiha should never have to do, confess his feelings. Opening the door he saw Naruto with a wet wash cloth trying to dust off the furniture in the room, a bucket of water stood in the middle of the room. Naruto looked up from dusting the desk across the room.

"Oh sorry, I didn't know you were busy." Sasuke said before starting to close the door.

"No, it's ok, I was getting ready to take a break anyway." Naruto answered effectively stopping Sasuke from leaving.

Sasuke walked back in, his nervousness clearly showed on his face.

"What's wrong?" Naruto asked concerned about his friends unusual behavior.

"I…um…" Sasuke took a deep breath before continuing "I love you, I understand if you don't feel the same way and I don't want my feelings to come in the way of our friendship if you don't…" Sasuke rambled until he was cut off by a pair of lips on his own. The kiss was short but sweet and Naruto pulled away before it could become anything more.

"Baka, I've always loved you, I may not have realized it until after you left, but I have always loved you." Naruto said looking at the Uchiha.

"HEY YOU TWO LOVE BIRDS, GET OUT HERE DINNER IS READY!" Mai yelled from the kitchen. The two sighed before leaving the room and going to the kitchen.

**Hope you liked it, Please review, i don't get as many reviews as i wish i did. (I think i only got one last chapter TAT)**


	8. Authors Note

I'm so sorry. I know I promised to finish this but I have neither the time nor the energy to work on it. So for the time being I'm putting it on hold. I plan to rewrite this eventually but I'm not sure how long it will take me. Maybe when I have some time off school I'll get around to writing some more.

Once again I'm really sorry and I hope you will all forgive me.


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